The Outrageous Number Of Deaths Genghis Khan Is Responsible For

You've heard the name a million times: Genghis Khan. Even to those who know little about the Mongol leader, the mere mention of his name summons a sense of all-powerful dread. Khan is hailed as one of the most powerful rulers in history. During his time as a warrior and an emperor, he unified Mongolia and extended his reign across the Asian continent with unrelenting force and blood-soaked ardor. His empire was forged through militaristic discipline that ultimately brought the nomadic tribes of the region together in a unified entity that stretched from the Adriatic sea all the way to the Pacific coast of China (via Britannica).

Inevitably, a conquest of such magnitude is bound to leave a notable death tole in its wake, but what does the body count under Ganhkis Khan's rule actually amount to? The answer might freeze the blood coursing through your veins. According to historians, the astounding number of deaths we can attribute to Khan's tactics could add up to 40 million (per History).

While the exact number of the deceased is unclear, historians are generally in agreement on the shocking number above. During Genghis Khan's lifetime, the population of China dropped by tens of millions. His vicious war with the Khwarezmid Empire resulted in enough casualties to constitute three-fourths of modern day Iran's population, and the entirety of Mongol attacks could very well have reduced the world population by as much as 11% (via History).

The imperial warring tactics that made such a chilling annihilation possible were pivotal to the seemingly unstoppable Mongolian expansion. Mongol warriors were supremely adept at communicating over vast distances with the aid of domesticated animals, a method they'd perfected over the course of a few centuries. Genghis Khan also made acute use of spies that aided in the insidious undercutting of his enemies without them even knowing. All of that combined with the utilization of new technology and weaponry (siege weapons, mortars, gunpowder) contributed to what is now understood to be the largest expansion of power in history (per History Extra). It's no wonder Genghis Khan is often referred to as the most feared leader of all time.